As it stands now (from my understanding of you question, that you are asking About realization of Existence of God, without a doubt-please correct me if I am wrong) I can not point onto a (the) singular moment.

With me, it's a flowing process. That is, I have these "WOW Moments". The times when I am just suddenly "awakened" by many different things. It could be a movement of a bird or a word of an Apostle, a hymn in the Church or an action of a some person, an Icon or an event in my life even a sound or a colour, symbolism in the Church.... It is really very hard to point into one single "realization" and say THAT IS IT. It is more like a complete line of things that are not maybe connected in one dimension but can be connected in different ways, different times on different plains of their presence. It could be a realization that something that happened many years ago (and that seemed completely illogical) actually happened for a reason, of THE Reason and from Him.

like sin_vlad, i cant say it was a single "moment," especially since i relearn and rediscover God every day...but in early high school, after growing up in the RCC (and still attending church each sunday w/ my mom), i tried to convince myself that God didn't exist. partially to be "cool" (since atheism was a trend at the time - whatta joke) and partially because i felt completely alone when amongst my friends and was just thoroughly convinced i WAS alone, and so that meant God too...and yet, i continued to wear my crucifix my grandma had given me for my RCC confirmation (i couldnt tell you why at the time) and i couldnt fall asleep at night w/o sayin my prayers (trust me, i tried). i just gradually came to realize my feeble attempts to believe in no God were just ridiculous and utterly futile, and boy did i feel silly when i realized i wasnt alone of course, but that there was Someone always w/ me, and i was a fool to push Him away...so, in short, how I know that God exists was simply doing all I could to convince myself that He doesn't and failing miserably, if that makes sense. i dont know if that helps.

ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š That is what FAITH is all about.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Unless you are one of the fewÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š blessed people (ie. mostly saints who are filled with faith and grace ) and are given the gift of a vision, then it is up to you to believe.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š One of our most preciousÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š gifts is the gift of free will.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š We can choose our own path....without considering God or our fellow man.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š It is easy for one to go about living their life pleasing themselves without a care for the future (eternity).ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š But I think that most people come to a point where they start to question their existence in this world.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Why are we here?ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š This in turn leads to searching for answers. Most humans are insatiably curious and want to know why things are the way they are.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š As a side note, I think that this is even more prevalent in the western world where we are taught to be "scientific" and demand quick black and white answers.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Anyway, I digress.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š My point is that we all have a limited time here on earth, and God has revealed himself to us in many ways.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š He wants us to know him.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š But there is so much "crap"ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š in this sinful world it requires us to make an effortÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š to seek out Him.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š I try to tell myself that His arms are wide open...not just waiting, but coming out to welcome me like the father of the prodigal son.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Please forgive me for not giving a satisfactory answer to your question.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š I daily pray to God to help me with my faith saying, "I believe, help my unbelief!".ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š How one attains (or is given the grace) of strong faith I still wonder.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Prayer can be a struggle...and daunting to me at times.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š I go through so many dry spells...but I must perservere.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š I know that the narrow path is difficult but I don't want to go back to the wide and easy way of self gratification.Please pray for me,ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š Juliana

I fear that I'm going to have to agree with TomS here...I believe my greater epiphany was when I realized that I do not really know if my neighbour is real. Religion (like science too, but that's a different thread) is a matter of Faith, not Knowledge.

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"The liberties of people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them." -- Patrick Henry

actually the posts about how we never truly "know" are more correct than what i wrote...i suppose i was just commenting on what happened to me so i could be (more) secure in my faith (bit of a paradox, that is) that God is real and true, in my every day life while dealing with the people around me who would have me think otherwise...the key word still being "faith."

I think perfect consciousness of God is something we are born with but lose as we grew up and become more “knowledgeable”, worldly, and synical. I am endeavoring to re-realize God through-out out my life when he gives me the opportunity to do so. Like the nights that I cried out to him in despair asking WHY ME!? Then getting an answer.. although not always the answer I wanted. When my children were born... When my Grandma passed away.. When I first heard an Orthodox hymn...

I think perfect consciousness of God is something we are born with but lose as we grew up and become more “knowledgeable”, worldly, and synical.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š

Very true. I had an unquestioning belief in God when I was younger, whereas since i finished my education and am more 'knowledgeable' I end up questioning too much and sometimes this leads to a chaotic mental state. I firmly believe this is caused by the devil. As one Serbian monk said the best way to win these mental 'battles' is not to fight them in the first place, otherwise you are falling for the devils game.

Well, Iguess for me, it was like I grew up in a Christian Home, and I always knew God was there, but I never knew he was there for me until these last couple years of my short life. I guess things like Miracles strengthen my faith. Just a week and a half ago, someone in the community was painting on the brick outside, volunteering on a lift that lifted him very high. He was swaying b/c he was painting a big area, and the lift tipped and fell on top of him. He was out there for a while before one of our priests found him. A pole stabbed him next to his heart, and he was suffocating because the lift was on top of him. So Father Ephraim got some men and they got the lift off of him, and one of the members of the community did CPR on ihim and reccessitaed him. When he got to the hospital, the doctors thought he was going to die, and they didn't even know how he made it to the hospital alive. The community was shocked at this, but believed God would give him life and mercy. We came together as a community and prayed and believed in God. Then when the doctors went in to repair an artery they thought was stabbed when he fell, it was already healed. They had x-rays of it being broken and the doctors said it was a miracle. the arterie healed itself. It is things like these that show us God's justice, but his mercy at the same time. That really increased my faith.Also, its just that I can feel God working sometimes. Its almost like he's holding me up sometimes. I guess its just a faith thing. Christianity is (in my opinion) the epitomy of a faith-based religion. I mean compared to Buddhism and other religions like that. Buddhism worships things that are physical and things like that. but we as Christian have to have faith that God is there. He throws us hints and signs that he is there, and Iknow he is, but I guess Christianity is just something youhave to have faith in.

No single point of realization. Just the continually unfolding "drama" that is life. Refinforcement of faith may come at times, doubt at others. It's a LEARNING process, if anything, one that never stops.

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Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain:

"Let us not expect the spiritual spring if we don't first pass through the spiritual winter during which the spiritual vermin die. We mustn't expect the divine to blossom within us if the human hasn't first died."

In Orthodoxy we are supposed to be born again every day and every moment, day by day. The moment we stop doing this is when we must realise that we are living apart from the Church, apart from the Holy Spirit of God. The grace of God works in us most strongly when we have reached a state of mourning for our sins. But at the same time there is to be a joy inside us, a hope that we are being saved. In Orthodoxy this is called ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â§ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â±ÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¼ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¿ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â»ÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â· or Joyful-Sorrow. It is an inexpressible feeling which purifies the mind, heart and soul.

In order to dig deep into our soul we must endure the stench and only after we have endured this filth hidden in the depths of our soul only after we have expelled this putrid sickness can we truly experience and realize our true faith. Only with tears of repentance can our hearts truly find peace and joy in Christ. Then the love of Christ grows day by day inside us and before we know it we are one with Him.

Sometimes we are granted by Him to experience this overpowering love and compassion inside us without even asking for it. But when it is gone we feel empty and lose hope and fall into akidia a state where we may feel there is no exit.

But this only a foretaste of what expects us in the age to come. It is a 'tasting' of heaven and hell before the time has come. This is why we must try even harder to try to be born again each day, repenting and forgetting our past sins but remembering God's judgement. We should "keep our mind in hell and do not despair" (St. Silouan),

However we should remember that although God is merciful we will not be able to abuse this hope and should never take it for granted that God will forgive us. Remember it was only through the prayers of Moses that the people of Israel were spared otherewise they would have all been destroyed by God even Aaron (Deut 9:19).

God made a Covenant with Eli the prophet "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: `I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: `Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who insult me will be dishonoured." 1Sam(1Kings) 2:30.

In order for God to honour His deal or Covenant with us we must firstly honour it with Him. Only in keeping His New Covenant can we ever hope to realize the fullness of our faith.